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The Weekly Roar
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Thanks for a Fantastic Fun Run!
We'd like to send a roaring "Thank You!" to all the families who so generously supported the PTA’s Lane Lion Loop Run fundraiser these past few weeks. From the beautiful weather to the many displays of good sportsmanship, Friday's capstone event—the run itself—was a great success! We offer another roar of thanks to all the volunteers who stepped up to lend a hand to make it all possible.
During the last three weeks, the PTA raised over $23,000! This amount ensures the group will be able to support field trips for all grade levels, along with other important programs and activities.
Here are some photos from Friday. We’ll be posting more on our Facebook and Instagram pages throughout this week.
Upcoming Events
In This Issue
- Join Us for Math & STEAM Night This Thursday, October 23!
- Attention FCPS Families! The Federal Impact Aid Survey Now Available to Complete Online
- Advanced Academics Program (AAP) Full-Time Screening and Timeline Parent Meeting Thursday, October 30, 6 p.m.
- Please Remind Your Child to Not Share Food
- Honoring Our Lane Lion Veterans and Active Military Service Members for Veterans Day on Friday, November 7
- Lane Recognized as 2025 Purple Star School!
- PTA News: Fundraiser thanks, Trunk or Treat
- Parent Resources: Language Arts grading, when your child should stay home sick, immunization clinics
- FCPS News & Activities: Bond Referendum, AI workshop, boundary meetings
News & Notes
Join Us for Math & STEAM Night This Thursday, October 23!
Math + STEAM = A Fun Night of Family Learning! Join us THIS THURSDAY rom 5 to 7 p.m. for Math & STEAM Night! All families are invited to attend to learn more about how science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) are taught and explored throughout our curriculum and all grade levels at our school. Hands-on exhibits will feature everything from basic building blocks to high-tech robots. Interactive math sessions will include strategies, tips, and games with make-and-take activities to carry a piece of the learning home.
If you’d like to attend, please sign-up here to help us plan and ensure enough materials are available that night.
We hope to see you there!
Attention FCPS Families! The Federal Impact Aid Survey Now Available to Complete Online
The Federal Impact Aid program provides money to districts that enroll federally connected students. Help FCPS secure funding from the Impact Aid Program by helping us identify:
- military families,
- federally connected families,
- families living on a military base.
Please complete one form for each child in your household. Remember that only the parent that registered the student with FCPS (the ‘enrolling parent’) can fill out the Impact Aid Survey form.
For families without access to ParentVUE, a paper copy of the form will be sent home with your student starting November 12. Your information will be kept strictly confidential.
Your support will ensure that we receive the resources for which we are eligible.
To access the Impact Aid Form from your computer or mobile device, we recommend using Google Chrome.
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Step 1: CLICK HERE or type sisparent.fcps.edu into your Chrome address bar to be taken to SIS ParentVUE. If you don’t have a SIS ParentVUE account, contact your child’s school for an activation letter.
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Step 2: After you’ve logged into your ParentVue Account, look for the ‘Online Packets’ link at the top of the page. Click ‘Online Packets.’
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Step 3: Next, click the ‘Federal Impact Aid Survey’ button on the bottom of the page. This will take you to the Impact Aid Survey for you to complete.
If you have multiple children in Fairfax County Public Schools, please fill out a form for each child. You will know you have completed all of the forms when you get to the final page, and see a green check next to each of their names.
Advanced Academics Program (AAP) Full-Time Screening and Timeline Parent Meeting Thursday, October 30, 6 p.m.
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) offers a continuum of advanced academic services for all students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Full-time Advanced Academic Program (AAP) services begin in 3rd grade. Parents of 2nd through 6th graders who would like their child considered for full-time services for the 2026-2027 school year must submit a parent referral form no later than December 15 at 11:59 PM.
Lane’s Advanced Academics Resource Teacher, Linda Simon, will host a meeting on Thursday, October 30, at 6 p.m. in person in the Lane library for parents of students in grades 2 through 6 to explain the screening process, timeline, screening file components, and parent responsibilities for Full-time AAP eligibility and placement.
Note: The December 15 deadline applies to all grade levels, including 6th graders screening for 7th grade even though middle school course selection does not take place until January/February 2026. If you want to have your child screened for services in middle school, please be sure to submit the referral by the December 15 deadline.
Please Remind Your Child to Not Share Food
We have recently been notified by some parents that there is food sharing between students happening both at school and on the bus. While we expect food is being offered as a friendly gesture, unmonitored sharing can also be a safety issue, due to allergies, certain medications that may look like “candy,” and other concerns.
The school has a strict no-sharing policy of foods brought from home, UNLESS the activity is approved and monitored by a teacher or other staff member. Please talk with your children about the importance of not sharing food, especially during this time of year as Halloween and other fall and winter holidays approach. Thank you!
Honoring Our Lane Lion Veterans and Active Military Service Members for Veterans Day on Friday, November 7
We are honored to have so many military families – currently active and veteran – in our school community. If you or other family members are active-duty, reserve, or veteran service personnel, we would like to honor you this Veterans Day by inviting you to visit our school on the morning of Friday, November 7. (Veterans Day itself—November 11—is an FCPS holiday, and school will be closed.) There will be two events: a military family breakfast and classroom visits where family members can share their stories of service and sacrifice.
The family breakfast will be held before school in the cafeteria from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. If your family would like to attend, please RSVP here: https://forms.gle/WaCC7CUFZ5XJtxMX7. Be sure to tell us how many in your family will attend (including you).
If you would like to visit classrooms on November 7, please sign up using one of these methods:
- Sign up online: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E094CA8A69-59575607-veterans
- Fill out the paper form in this week’s Wednesday Folder and return it to our family liaison, Melanie Crosby Hardy, no later than Wednesday, November 5.
- RSVP to Mrs. Crosby Hardy via email at macrosby@fcps.edu.
We will schedule you for two different classrooms, one of which will be that of the student to whom you are connected. This is to ensure that all classrooms have at least one visitor. Be sure to tell us which grade level is preferred for the second session. (If you are connected to more than one child at Lane, we will place you in those classrooms.) Classroom presentations will be about 15 to 20 minutes long.
We need your photographs!
As part of our Veterans Day celebration, we would also like to create a “Gallery of Honor” slide show featuring photographs of the active-duty and veteran members of the military in our school community. Please send a photo of your military family members by Monday, November 3, to be included.
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You can send a hard-copy photo in to school with your child (please be sure to label it with your child’s name and teacher’s name) or e-mail a digital copy to our family liaison Melanie Crosby Hardy at macrosby@fcps.edu.
Please note: These photos will be included in a video that will be featured on our school news show. The video will be housed on YouTube; however, only people with the link will be able to view it. It will not be shared publicly. Please let us know if it is OK to include your family’s name with your photo in the slide show.
Thank you for participating in this very special event and thank you for your service! We hope to see you on November 7!
Lane Recognized as 2025 Purple Star School!
The Virginia Purple Star Designation is awarded by the Virginia Department of Education to military-friendly schools that have demonstrated a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military. Lane first received the Purple Star designation in 2018; it was one of the first schools in FCPS to be honored with the award. Since then, we have continued to expand our understanding of and support for our military-connected families, which make up nearly a quarter of our school community.
Schools must reapply for the Purple Star designation every three years, to assure that expectations continue to be met. Elements of a Purple Star school include school-based point of contacts for military families and students; schoolwide and districtwide military recognition events, activities, and programs; awareness training for school staff; and a school-based peer-to-peer support organization, such as our Student Ambassadors.
If you would like to learn more about the Purple Star program and designation, please contact our family liaison, Melanie Crosby Hardy at macrosby@fcps.edu.
PTA News
Thank You, Lane Families!
The PTA would like to thank all the families who so generously contributed to the Lane Lion Loop Run Fundraiser. With your help, the group was able to raise over $23,000! This amount ensures the group will be able to support field trips for all grade levels, along with other important programs and activities.
Lane PTA Trunk or Treat This Sunday, October 26, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Join the Lane PTA for Trunk or Treat at Lane Elementary this Sunday, October 26! There are only 50 parking spaces available for you to set up a table or decorate your vehicle and hand out candy, so reserve your spot now at the signup link: https://signup.com/go/zDoTVpe.
Please remember that this is not a drop-off event, parental supervision is required.
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Want to participate, but can’t attend? Drop off candy at Lane or send in candy with your student any time before the end of the school day on Thursday, October 25. (Look for the hungry candy monster…she loves candy).
If you prefer, you can make a donation to help the PTA purchase candy instead.
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Parent Resources
Elementary Language Arts Grades
You might notice that your student's progress report grades in English language arts (ELA) look a little different. This is happening because we've brought in a new curriculum and new ways to check on learning (assessments), and there are new state guidelines called the VDOE Standards of Learning.
FCPS is raising the bar and setting high goals! We are teaching and grading students on the big skills they need by the very end of the school year. Think of it like going on a journey. It’s challenging at first, but on your journey, you learn your way — and maybe even a few shortcuts!
First quarter grades may seem lower than usual as students work hard to reach grade-level mastery.
Please know that this is a positive, expected part of the learning journey. We are here to support every student as they grow and achieve. We are celebrating the effort and growth toward these new, higher standards!
Learn more about this change in ELA grading and reporting.
When Should Your Child Stay Home?
Whether students miss school because of illness or any other reason, missing school leads to learning loss.
Help your student succeed by encouraging them to miss as few days as possible. However, do make sure your student stays home if they are sick. So when should your child stay home? Visit the FCPS website for helpful ideas regarding absences and how to work with your child and our school.
If your child has a chronic illness, make sure to notify our school and your child’s teacher so that assistance can be provided if needed. Keep an open line of communication with our public health nurse. Call the school as soon as you know your child will be absent and tell school staff why and for how long.
Immunization Events for FCPS Students
FCPS, in partnership with Inspire Health Alliance, will be providing school-required immunizations and optional flu shots for all FCPS students with no out-of-pocket costs.
Immunization clinics will take place from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at Willow Oaks Administrative Center on:
- Thursday, November 6
- Tuesday, November 18
- Wednesday, November 19
- Thursday, November 20.
A clinic will also take place at Frost Middle School on Saturday, November 15, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additional dates will be made available throughout the school year.
Participation is voluntary. Parents or guardians may schedule an appointment for their student. Learn more about immunization resources.
FCPS Ombuds Office: Your Go-To Guide for the School System
Do you have a question or concern about Fairfax County Public Schools, but you don’t know where to find the answer? Dawn Clements wants you to know you can ask her! Dawn’s mission as the FCPS Ombuds is to make it easier to understand the school system and help build trust within the community. In honor of Ombuds Day, learn more about Dawn Clements and the Ombuds Office.
Free Webinars from the Family Resource Center
Reading Plans and Your Student
Wednesday, October 22, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
This 1.5-hour webinar is designed to help parents and caregivers understand the new reading plans in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). Parents will learn about:
- What a reading plan is: A reading plan is a support system for students who are not meeting literacy benchmarks. It outlines specific, evidence-based instruction and interventions to help them improve their reading skills.
- Who requires a reading plan: All students from kindergarten through eighth grade who are identified as needing additional support based on literacy assessments will receive a reading plan. This is part of a broader effort by FCPS to implement the Virginia Literacy Act.
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